Dentistry has always been considered a difficult matter. At the same time, there are a lot of horror stories about treatment methods used hundreds of years ago. The common worldview at that time was very different from the modern one. It had a significant impact on medicine. Unfortunately, the consequences were often negative. What is the history of dentistry? What were the first progressive solutions in the sphere? Why did the medical instruments of the time look like torture tools? The history of dentistry in London can answer these questions. Learn more at ilondon.
General perception of medicine and its impact on dentistry
In general, the first methods of dental treatment appeared in ancient Rome and Egypt. Those civilisations paid a lot of attention to this area because they understood that such problems could cause terrible consequences. At that time, there wasn’t such a separate branch as dentistry, although some methods and means of treatment were much safer and more effective than in the Middle Ages in Europe. For a long time, doctors in London denied the existence of infection, the spread of which resulted in most diseases. The theory about “tooth worms” was also popular, which had nothing to do with reality. The lack of painkillers led to people being terrified of medical instruments (as well as those used in obstetrics). All of this was difficult to call advanced medicine and was more like torture.
New solutions underlying further development
Although dental treatment in London remained one of the most painful procedures for several centuries, the field was still developing. At the beginning of the 18th century, European doctors got to know about the filling system, which was founded by a French surgeon. It allowed them to establish certain rules and methods of treatment. Before that, similar processes took place chaotically. The filling materials also differed. Usually, they were silver or gold (which was more expensive but very popular). Sometimes, even animal teeth were used. Later, amalgam became the main material. Wood, animal bones and vulcanite were often used to create dentures. In addition, the publication of John Hunter’s The Natural History of the Human Teeth in 1771 was important for the perception of dentistry as a separate profession.
Photo source: London Dental Museum
The low level of education among dentists remained a problem too. Until the middle of the 19th century, skills and knowledge were just being transferred from a master to a student. Therefore, there were poor quality rules and standards. A significant contribution to the development of this field was made by John Tomes. This English dental surgeon was one of the founders of the Odontological Society of London and played an important role in the creation of the Dental Hospital of London in 1858. In addition, the situation improved significantly thanks to the invention of anesthesia. For the first time, ether was used during dental surgery in the 1840s. Of course, it had a short-term effect and was a risky procedure. However, such a step became a significant progress in dentistry and made the treatment process less painful.
Modern dentistry
In fact, the most significant changes in the history of dentistry have occurred in a very short period of time. It happened at the beginning of the XXI century. In just 20 years, a huge number of technologies have been proposed and implemented. The development of dentistry has reached an incredibly high level. In particular, London became a place where modern surgical methods were developed, new materials for prosthetics and fillings were invented and unique instruments were created.